In a significant development to secure next-generation fighter jets, the Defence Procurement Board, headed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, on Friday okayed the proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from French plane-maker Dassault.Sources said the purchase proposal will now be taken up for clearance at the level of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, when he chairs the next Defence Acquisition Council, the apex decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence. The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to give the final nod.

India and France are looking to seal the deal for the jets in February when a meeting is scheduled between Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Rafale deal will not impact India’s plans to make the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mark-2, said sources.

The AMCA is a fifth-generation plane. The Tejas Mark-2 is planned to be multi-system upgrade over the existing order of 180 Tejas Mark-1A jets the Ministry of Defence has placed with the public sector plane-maker, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. All indigenous jets, their timeline and budgeting have been planned separately from the 114 Rafales.

In September last year, the Indian Air Force had moved a formal proposal to the Ministry of Defence seeking 114 more Rafale fighter jets as part of its multi-pronged plan to add more number of jets.

The IAF based its choice on multiple reasons. First, it already flies 36 Rafale jets, while the Navy has ordered 26 marine‑variants of the same jet. Increasing numbers would reduce maintenance costs. A Rafale flight‑training and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility is operational at the IAF base in Ambala. The IAF has the capacity – the space, spares, tooling and trained manpower — to immediately take in two squadrons (36-38 planes).

The jets will be acquired under a ‘Make in India’ scheme, with Dassault Aviation — the maker of the Rafale — partnering with an Indian firm. Last week, Dassault said it had increased its shareholding in Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) from 49 per cent to 51 per cent, making the joint venture a majority-owned subsidiary of the French company. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure is a partner in DRAL.

The French plane-maker will integrate Indian weapons, missiles and ammunition on all 114 jets and will also provide secure data links to allow digital integration of the jets with Indian radars and sensors sending imagery to ground-based controllers.

Also, the plane maker will provide transfer of technology (ToT) for making air frames. Its suppliers like engine maker Safran and avionics provider Thales will be part of the ToT. The indigenous content is expected to be between 55 per cent and 60 per cent once ToT for air frames, engines and avionics is done.